


Coming Home

by maiNuoire



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 21:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7908394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiNuoire/pseuds/maiNuoire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack hasn't spoken to Bitty in over 24 hours, and he is very tired. Coming home to a surprise from his boyfriend is just what he needed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for @zsphoenix because "I Will Remember You" made her sad. Enjoy some fluffy Zimbits goodness.

Jack can’t remember the last time he was this tired. After a grueling game that spilled into a very confrontational win in overtime (which caused him to miss his nightly call with Bitty), and a restless night spent tossing and turning in an attempt to find a position that didn’t aggravate a newly acquired bruise or sore muscle, their late morning flight from Tampa to Boston was delayed. Delayed, and then cancelled.

 

By the time they were able to reschedule a flight, this time with a ridiculously lengthy layover in Virginia, it was already early evening, and Jack and the rest of the team were exhausted from the previous night’s game and the hours of unexpected fan interaction, and Jack was antsy from having missed yet another chance to speak to Bitty on the phone and all the time spent in the crowded airport terminal. An additional, noisy and over-populated terminal at the second airport, and the associated fan fervor, has Jack nearly ready to collapse by the time he finally reaches his front door.

 

He sends Bitty a text that he’s made it home safely, sighing at the string of messages that had been their only contact for over 30 hours. After a frustrating moment fumbling tiredly with the key, he manages to get the door open, and practically fall through it. He drops everything unceremoniously into a heap just inside the door, deciding the laundry and unpacking are a problem best handled by Well Rested Jack, and shuffles his way to his bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind him as he strips en route.

 

As he reaches the bedroom door, toeing it open as he pulls his shirt over his head, he yawns deeply, eyes squinting shut and watering at the edges. When he opens them again, he freezes, arms above his head, tangled in the sleeves of his tee-shirt. He blinks rapidly a few times, trying to clear what he is certain is some manner of exhaustion-induced hallucination from his vision, but when he looks at his bed again, Bitty is still there.

 

Bitty is still there, wrapped up in a twisted sheet and late-night-early-morning moonlight, and Jack has never been so happy to see anyone in his entire life. He makes a noise, an inelegant thing that is not quite a sigh, not quite a groan of relief, and not quite a sound of fond awe. It is however, enough of a noise to make Bitty stir in the bed.

 

“Jack,” he asks sleepily, voice rough and accent heavy in his half awake state. “Jack, ‘z ‘at you, sweetheart?” Bitty sits up clumsily, the sheet falling to pool around his waist, and Jack is caught up in the play of shadows on Bitty’s muscles for a moment. “Hey, you. S’rprise, baby. You wanna finish taking that shirt off, an’ come to bed, Mr. Zimmermann?” Bitty teases, a tired grin stretching his lips.

 

Bitty chuckles lightly, as Jack looks up, as though he has just noticed he’s still tangled up in his shirt. He finishes undressing as he steps into the room, and Bitty falls gracelessly back into his pillow, turning to face Jack and hold up the covers invitingly. Jack gratefully takes the invitation, crawling into the oversized bed and pressing up against Bitty, soaking in his warmth and sinking into his embrace easily. Bitty’s arm wind around Jack as he rests his head and one large palm on Bitty’s chest, the steady  _ thump-thump _ of Bitty’s heart already lulling Jack to sleep.

 

Bitty combs his fingers lazily through Jack’s hair, humming as Jack places a soft kiss to his sternum. Suddenly, Jack pulls away, just enough to prop his chin where his cheek rested previously. He stares at Bitty through half-lidded eyes, and the other man must feel his gaze because he is soon staring back at Jack through equally sleep heavy eyes. “Wha’s wrong, Jack? You should be sleepin’, silly.”

 

“Nothing is wrong, Bits. Just. What’re you doing here?”

 

Bitty snorts. “I’m gonna assume you mean that in a ‘ _ Wow, my amazing boyfriend surprised me _ ’ kinda way, and not a ‘ _ You should leave’  _  kinda way. Because I’m way too sleepy to leave right now, baby.”

 

Jack rolls his eyes-no small feat when you can barely keep them open- “Of course I’m surprised,  _ mon chou _ , we didn’t get to talk at all, not since… Thursday?  _ Merde _ , it has been a long two days. I wasn’t expecting to get to see you this weekend is all.”

 

“Oh, honey. You sounded so tense and anxious in your texts, and I saw that game, I know you must be achy and tired. I just wanted to be here for you. Make you breakf-” a forceful yawn cuts Bitty off, and Jack can’t help the fond smile that teases his lips. “Breakfast. Help you waste a day recoverin’, so I hammered out a few pages for my last paper, and hopped on the train.”

 

“Sounds perfect, baby,” Jack presses a quick kiss to the corner of Bitty’s mouth, has a flash of regret that they’re together and half naked, and too close to sleep to do anything more interesting than sleep. “How’d I get so lucky, eh?”

 

There’s a huff of laughter, and then “G’ night, Jack,” as Jack settles back into Bitty’s arms.

  
By the time Jack manages to force out a “Sweet dreams,  _ mon couer _ ,” they’re both asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/poetry-protest-pornography)! Where I talk about hockey nerds, Sterek, and feminism!


End file.
